Meet Fried Chicken and Caviar, Detroit’s Hottest and Bougiest Pop-Up #DetroitFood

Nik Renee Cole and Chi Walker | Fried Chicken and Caviar

After appearances at Batch Brewing Co., Two Birds, and the Congregation, find them next at Frame in Hazel Park

Chi Walker and Nik Renee Cole believe that Detroiters deserve some boujee cuisine now and then. That’s why the friends and chefs launched Fried Chicken and Caviar, a popup that’s been showing up and collaborating just about everywhere foodies convene.

Each stop, each experience, and each dish caters to a diverse and eclectic audience, offering meals full of African American heritage and history, from their signature fried chicken served with caviar to bologna sandwiches made from scratch. ”We’ve always had this laser-focused vision of bringing luxury and comfort food together,” says Walker, 41. “Fried Chicken and Caviar isn’t just a place to grab some good soul food; Fried Chicken and Caviar is a vibe because we put that love and passion for the finer things in life into every morsel of food that we prepare. We deserve fried chicken and caviar and we think that Detroiters deserve it too.”

Recently, Fried Chicken and Caviar has been seen serving lamb coney dogs, loaded veggie chili, and pound cake with whiskey apple sauce at Batch Brewing Co.; vegan sloppy Joe and bourbon peach cobbler at Two Birds, and beef short rib and pulled chicken sandwiches with Michigan cherry barbecue sauce at The Congregation.

On Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20, they’ll pop up at Frame, a revolving creative hub of carefully curated programs of chef residencies, with their boujee take on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. “We’re bringing our main dish of fried chicken and duck breast tenders over marinated collard greens and cornbread dressing made with Mad Dog 2020 cranberry,” says Walker. The full menu being served includes a potato mushroom soup, a play on the traditional mashed potatoes and gravy, sauce, and a sweet potato buttermilk custard with a Mad Dog 2020 drizzle.

Fried Chicken and Caviar

Cole and Walker were both owners of food businesses centered on Black luxury before uniting. Walker owns Wild Flower Hospitality, a catering brand built on intimate settings and Cole, 42, acting head chef at The Kitchen by Cooking with Que in Midtown, owns Speakeasy Detroit, an events company where storytelling and food intertwine. Over the course of running their own enterprises, the Cass Tech alumnae discovered they had a strong chemistry that allowed Fried Chicken & Caviar to be born in October 2018, at a small dinner party with friends. “So many of our ideas come during cooking, eating, and conversation,” says Cole.

“We believe strongly that food is the thing that brings people together. And when we think about ‘Black food’ we think about fried chicken and fried chicken is associated with your mother or one of your favorite aunties, which is very comforting. Caviar is a delicacy a lot of us associate with wealth or luxury and have never tried because it hasn’t been accessible. In that respect, food can also be a great divider. The name Fried Chicken and Caviar is very much a statement for us to share all the finer things that our customers desire. We deserve it.”

Find out where Fried Chicken and Caviar will pop up next on their Instagram or website.

from Eater Detroit - All